Sikha Sharma
asked
Anu Kay:
What was the most compelling motivation behind your latest book, The Asura's Curse?
Anu Kay
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[Hello Sikha! Thanks so much for the question!
The Asura’s Curse started with a question I couldn’t shake: what if the past we know isn’t the full story? I’ve always been drawn to the gaps in history—the forgotten voices, the missing pieces—and how stories get reshaped over time. That curiosity pulled me deep into ancient Indian mythology, especially the parts that aren’t often told.
One of my biggest sparks came from Sanskrit manuscripts. A lot of them are incomplete or overlooked, but they hint at powerful lost knowledge and ways of thinking that are very different from what we’re taught today. That mystery—the sense of something important just out of reach—really stayed with me.
As I kept researching, I came across how, in the 20th century, some regimes in Europe became obsessed with Aryan identity. They were hunting for connections to ancient India, twisting mythology and history to fit their narrative. It made me wonder: how often have ancient ideas been taken out of context, or used for the wrong reasons?
In the book, I bring together mythology, history, and speculative fiction to explore themes like identity, resistance, and what it means to take back a story that’s been buried or distorted. At its core, it’s a story about lost truths—and the risks of uncovering them.
If you're curious about what inspired the novel, you can find more behind-the-scenes notes on my website: anu-kay.com — just check the Inspiration section.
— Anu Kay
(hide spoiler)]
The Asura’s Curse started with a question I couldn’t shake: what if the past we know isn’t the full story? I’ve always been drawn to the gaps in history—the forgotten voices, the missing pieces—and how stories get reshaped over time. That curiosity pulled me deep into ancient Indian mythology, especially the parts that aren’t often told.
One of my biggest sparks came from Sanskrit manuscripts. A lot of them are incomplete or overlooked, but they hint at powerful lost knowledge and ways of thinking that are very different from what we’re taught today. That mystery—the sense of something important just out of reach—really stayed with me.
As I kept researching, I came across how, in the 20th century, some regimes in Europe became obsessed with Aryan identity. They were hunting for connections to ancient India, twisting mythology and history to fit their narrative. It made me wonder: how often have ancient ideas been taken out of context, or used for the wrong reasons?
In the book, I bring together mythology, history, and speculative fiction to explore themes like identity, resistance, and what it means to take back a story that’s been buried or distorted. At its core, it’s a story about lost truths—and the risks of uncovering them.
If you're curious about what inspired the novel, you can find more behind-the-scenes notes on my website: anu-kay.com — just check the Inspiration section.
— Anu Kay
(hide spoiler)]
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